text:
The 45th TVB Anniversary Gala kicked off to a festive start on November 19. TVB artists decked out in bold colors and shimmering gowns. The best looks of the evening were clean, classic lines that were a tribute to classic glamour.
Alice Chan was the best dressed of the night, wearing a pastel pink one shoulder gown that was subtly elegant. At 38 years old, Alice Chan still looks fresh and in great shape, a truly everlasting "Goddess" among many of TVB's beautiful women.
Rebecca Zhu's gray-blue dress has an appealing neckline, but her face looks pale, likely due to the pain from her back injury earlier. JJ Jia looks stunning in a dress sponsored by Kir Royal.
Good friends, Ben Wong and Kevin Cheng, wore different hues of red tuxedos, except Kevin decided to leave his socks home. Bosco Wong looked handsome in a navy plaid three-piece suit from Hackett-London, while Michael Tse did not lose his sparkle.
Sharon Chan towers over Ben Wong here due to her 5-inch high heels. Love Sharon's glamorous makeup, but the red gown unnecessarily ages her. Selena Li looks uninspiring in a black lace and lavender dress that appears to be from several seasons ago.
Carol Cheng always makes elegant gown choices that look good on her.
Anchored by Liza Wang, we have a sea of bright hues in orange, red and yellow.
Kristal Tin wore one of many red dresses at the Anniversary Gala. She looked beautiful, but her gown did look too monochrome with an overly busy skirt.
Linda Chung's black and white dress is a tribute to old world glamour. The dress has few interesting details other than the split skirt and was rather plain.
Christine Kuo's gown comes with heavy doses of pink innocence, which does not put forth her greater beauty. This gown screams Angelababy, and Christine would have benefited from wearing a gown with a simpler silhouette to show off her hour-glass figure. With the flyaway hair and pale makeup, Christine made an underwhelming impression.
Aimee Chan stands out with her thigh-high garnet sequin dress that likely had boyfriend, Moses Chan following her legs all night. A beautiful dress that not many can pull off like Aimee. Natalie Tong's sheer pink dress is very feminine, but fades too easily into the background. Selena Li's "flower girl" dress dated and should never have made its appearance on the red carpet. Yoyo Chen's dress is too busy with an overdose of pinched ruffles at the hip and train.
Christine Ng wore a bold rainbow zebra-striped sequin dress that was fun and modern, which was sponsored by Harvey Nichols. Christine's trendy dress stood out from a sea of monochrome-colored, long-skirted gowns at the Anniversary Gala.
Shirley Yeung's dress looks uncomfortable to wear, with a too-tight bodice and mermaid dress with pinched ruffles.
The pattern and cut of Kate Tsui's dress, along with her feathery headgear, sent her straight back to the 1920s. A very odd wardrobe choice for Kate who has been rocking recent carpet events with more trendy choices. Raymond Lam looks beautiful on the other hand in his blue velvet suit.
Natalie Tong looks nice in an fairy-light sheer pink gown, but Ruco Chan just aged himself by at least a decade in the tapestry print jacket. The jacket belongs on a much, much older actor twice his age.
Tags: Alice Chan, Ben Wong, Kate Tsui, Kristal Tin, Linda Chung, Liza Wang, Raymond Lam, Ruco Chan, Selena Li, Sharon Chan, Shirley Yeung
Dear Jayne!
Kate wore that for her performance! That's why it looks old cause her first performance was based on that!
She always wears beautiful things so technically she wasn't really worst dressed because she had to be prepared for her performance
*older like from the 1920s
I am utterly devastated by the poor clothing choices made by TVB actors & actresses year after year after year. It is honestly such a rare occasion for me to be satisfied by one of their outfits on the red carpet. Their choices are either extremely unflattering, outdated, ugly, ridiculous, or a downright combination of all four. They need to step up their wardrobes.
I totally agree! Their dresses always reminds me of tacky prom dresses. Just watch the golden globes or academy awards and steal some tips from there!!!
i really like JJ and Natalie tong's dresses but although i like christines dresses it oesn't really suit her it would have suited Leanne li sire ma or Cilla kung(lok tung) more
I'm not judging the judges opinion but personally I think Selena's dress is knida cute
It is…in a very Korean, ahjumma kind of way.
Linda Chung – Fail! She needs a professional fashion consultant, pronto!
The rest, no comment.
I didn't mind Linda's dress per se… but her hair and makeup need a redo. I don't think it matched the dress at all.
For me, JJ's dress wins the night.
Worst dress of the night? Aimee… to me it was more of a cocktail dress than an awards show dress. She had to shove her hands into her nether regions when sitting just to keep her dignity.
Oh.. and I really did not like Natalie's sheer pink dress. The sheer nature of the bottom half was distracting and pulled the eyes away.
some of the actresses wore the gown like they are attending masquerade party in the high end hotel >.<
All the actress dress alike, same long wedding grown dresses and puff up hair do. ..I expect to have more character in their dressing!
Raymond Lam does look stunning!


text:
Doing Sadhana in a group develops group consciousness…
At the beginning of sadhana everyone has a different vibration. Some have traces of dreams; others are already filled with concerns for the day; and still others come with different expectations about sadhana. The more people there are, the more these individual differences balance out and create a harmony. The happiness of one person balances the sadness of another. Then the entire group finds its energy directed by the activity of the sadhana itself. The individual auras merge and form a group aura. If the group is well-tuned into the Infinite, a rainbow aura forms that reflects all colors. A bluish color of sincerity and devotion predominates. This auric transformation aids the practitioner in making the step beyond ego centeredness.
By the end of morning sadhana, when everyone's energy has intermingled and merged, it is easy to communicate and be on the same wavelength. We experience this effect throughout the day. There will be fewer misunderstandings in the area of communications.
[From Aquarian Teacher KRI Teacher Training Level 1 Textbook]
Yogi Bhajan on Group Sadhana
All for One, and One for All
Your body is the temple of God, and your soul is the Divine Guru within. So, you get up in the morning, meditate, chant the mantras, do the exercises, call on your spirit, regulate the breath, and you get together in group consciousness. In that way you help each other. Group consciousness in morning sadhana is to help each other. If I am trying to sleep, another is not sleeping. If, in this whole group, one person opens up to God just once, we will all be blessed in his openness. That is what matters. If one has walked into sadhana with heart and soul in a prayerful mind, we will all benefit. That is the power of the group sadhana.
But, we still have something of the past in us. We bring up worries about who should lead. "Oh, that leader has brought a very good sadhana! That one has freaked out the sadhana." The truth is that nobody freaked out the sadhana, and nobody made it beautiful. It is the will of God which prevails through the soul. When you are a servant, and act as a channel, it prevails through you.
If, in morning sadhana, one cannot curtail the barriers and get to Oneness, I don't think there is any other time it can happen. All for one, and one for all. That is the principle.
Individual Sadhana
If you must do sadhana by yourself, then while you are chanting, imagine a million others all around you. Hear them all chanting, with you in the middle, not moving at all. Feel that you do not chant physically, and yet are leading the chant and letting the chant lead you. As you imagine this, continue chanting.
©The Teachings of Yogi Bhajan, Aquarian Teacher KRI Teacher Training Level 1 Textbook

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Communal sense. Religion, property, and corporate Others in Myanmar
The project is among the first long-term anthropological investigations into how Muslims, Hindus and Christians are dealing with the legal, political, and economic changes triggered by the country's opening-up over the last few years. Her envisioned book Communal Sense. Law, Property and the Making of Corporate Religious Others in Myanmar will critically engage with the concept of 'community' which is crucial in order to understand class inequalities and political subjectivities in contemporary Myanmar.


text:
Boston, MA — SEMPO Boston, in partnership with Google, Inc., announce local free student summit to help expose students to the search-marketing industry. The one-day conference will be held at Boston University on February 22, 2013 from 10AM-4PM in the Boston University School of Management building.
The summit will feature educational presentations, workshops, and panels composed of leading national and local professionals. Students will learn about the landscape, business, future and potential careers that are tied to search and digital marketing.
The schedule for the event will begin with a keynote address from various professionals in the industry, followed by a career panel discussion from recent university graduates, a networking luncheon and conclude with afternoon breakout sessions on SEO, SEM and social.
"We hope this event at Boston University will be the first of many that will occur at campuses throughout the country as we align students with good jobs and fuel the growth the search industry" said the President of Exclusive Concepts, Inc. and Chair of SEMPO Boston Working Group, Scott Smigler.
It is anticipated that this event will help to grow and strengthen the search-marketing ecosystem by advocating to the best and brightest college students throughout the world. The conference will be sponsored by industry sponsors Google Inc., Yahoo!, Microsoft and agencies sponsors Exclusive Concepts, Inc., Digitas, AMP Agency, Rimm-Kaufman Group, Gupta Media, and iProspect.
About SEMPO Boston Working Group
SEMPO Boston Working Group is the local working group for SEMPO serving Massachusetts and greater New England. SEMPO is a global non-profit organization serving the search and digital marketing industry and the marketing professionals engaged in it. Its purpose is to provide a foundation for industry growth through building stronger relationships, fostering awareness, providing education, promoting the industry, generating research, and creating a better understanding of search and its role in marketing.
For more information about SEMPO Boston, visit www.SEMPOBoston.org.
For more information or to join the SEMPO organization, visit www.SEMPO.org.
If you would like more information about this topic, please call Scott Smigler at (718) 362-5304 or by email at email@example.com


text:
Posted by Editoress on 03/11/08
New Junior Cycling Program in Nanaimo
Courtesy Dan Proulx
The Harbour City Flyers will begin their first season of cycling on Monday, March 24th with a special Parent Information Night at PacificSport Nanaimo (7:00pm).
The club is currently seeking riders between the ages of 12 and 16 who are interested in becoming bicycle racers. The program will provide junior specific training opportunities for road and mountain bike racing throughout the year. The club is lead by Level 4 NCCP cycling coach, Dan Proulx.
For more information on the program, please go to www.nanaimojuniorcycling.com
|Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top


text:
Author(s): Rachel Buchholz
This perfect National Geographic Valentine's Day gift is filled with uplifting true love stories from the animal kingdom and heartwarming accounts of animal emotions, friendships, romance, sibling and parent-child love. Author Rachel Buchholz, a longtime editor with National Geographic Kids magazine, has been collecting amazing animal stories for more than a decade and has gathered her favorites to show the many kinds of love that animals share, from inseparable best friends to romantically devoted duos. Touching photographs, inspiring animal facts, and meaningful quotes about love round out the book--making it a special way to show someone the true meaning of love. Stories include:
SIBLING LOVE - Brother and sister bears: In Cooper Landing, Alaska, a fishing guide spotted brother and sister grizzly bears fishing in the river. The brother had an injured front paw from a gunshot wound (same hunter who had killed his mother) and couldn't catch salmon. Brother bear would charge, the fish would scatter, and he came up empty-pawed every time. The guide was worried about the cub until she saw his sister, who normally would've gone off on her own, stay by his side catching fish and dropping them at his feet. She stayed with her brother for 4 weeks to catch fish for him.
PARENTS & CHILDREN - Lioness supermom: When a little lion cub fell halfway down a cliff, a group of lionesses didn't know what to do. At the cliff's bottom lurked hungry crocodiles, and one false move could send them and the baby tumbling down to become prey. Four lionesses try and give up: the cliff is too treacherous for them. But the lion's mother climbs down the sheer cliff face, scoops him up in her mouth, and crawls up the cliff side to safety.
BEST FRIENDS - Bear the bobcat and Robi the caracal: In Sherwood, Oregon, Bear the bobcat was blind, grumpy, and friendless. He didn't get along with any of the other captive cats at his sanctuary. His keepers were worried about him until Robi the caracal moved into the enclosure next door. The bobcat perked up and started rubbing against the fence of his new neighbor. When the two were introduced to each other, Bear affectionately head-butted Robi and they became best friends forever. Now Robi serves as Bear's "guide cat."
ROMANCE - Jake and Jemima, ducks in love: In North Devon, England, Jake the Muscovy duck waddled for weeks to return to his sweetheart, Jemima. Their owner had given Jake to a friend eight miles away. But Jake overcame three snowstorms and animal threats to return to Jemima. Muscovy ducks can't fly very high--only a few feet--and he had to find his way around four-foot-high hedges and fences to get back to his girl. When he found Jemima again, his owner saw the two ducks cuddle up "like an old married couple."
Rachel Buchholz is the executive editor of National Geographic Kids and National Geographic Little Kids magazines. She has spent more than 15 years editing for the tween market and has helped Kids magazine's 1.1 million readers set five Guinness World Records. She is the author of the Children's Choice-nominated book How to Survive Anything: Shark Attack, Lightning, Embarrassing Parents, Pop Quizzes, and Other Perilous Situations and a former editor at Boys' Life magazine.


text: The AD7711 is a complete analog front end for low frequency measurement applications. The device accepts low level signals directly from a transducer and outputs a serial digital word. It employs a sigma-delta conversion technique to realize up to 24 bits of no missing codes performance. The input signal is applied to a proprietary programmable gain front end based around an analog modulator. The modulator output is processed by an on-chip digital filter. The first notch of this digital filter can be programmed via the on-chip control register allowing adjustment of the filter cutoff and settling time. The part features one differential analog input and one single ended analog input as well as a differential reference input. Normally, one of the input channels will be used as the main channel with the second channel used as an auxiliary input to periodically measure a second voltage. It can be operated from a single supply (by tying the VSS pin to AGND) provided that the input signals on the analog inputs are more positive than 30 mV. By taking the VSS pin negative, the part can convert signals down to VREF on its inputs. The part provides two current sources that can be used to provide excitation in threewire and four-wire RTD configurations. The AD7711 thus performs all signal conditioning and conversion for a single or dual channel system.


text:
"She was a witchy woman" is part of the lyrics of the song I heard, it is not from the Eagles, it is newer than that, I think.
I thought it might be from Bob Welsh (sp), but can't find any reference to him for the song.
Maybe it was supposed to be "She was a Gypsy woman"?? by Brian Hyland
"Gypsy Woman"
(As recorded by Brian Hyland)
From nowhere through a caravan
Around a campfire light
A lovely woman in motion with hair as dark as night
Her eyes were like that of a cat in the dark
They hypnotized me with love.
She was a gypsy woman
She was a gypsy woman.
She danced around and 'round to a guitar melody
From the fire her face was all aglow
How she enchanted me
Oh how I'd love to hold her near
And kiss and forever whisper in her ear.
I love you gypsy woman
I love you gypsy woman.
All through the caravan
She was dancing with all the men
Waiting for the rising sun, everyone was having fun
I hate to see the lady go, knowing she'll never know
That I love her, I love her.
Gypsy woman
I love you gypsy woman
I love you gypsy woman
I love you gypsy woman
I love you gypsy woman.
(c) Copyright 1961 by Curtom Publishing Company.
Cool... I'm a big Bob Welch fan, but can't remember that exact line... could it be Ebony Eyes? Need to listen to those tunes again. Be sure to look for Fleetwood Mac as a possible search criteria because Bob was with them with he penned many of those great early 70s tunes. bp
Return to "Dangerous Bill's Cafe Noir"
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


text:
The Analytical Department serves the IPF Dresden e.V. as a center for characterization techniques and expertise, maintaining a diverse variety of instrumentation that is available for the entire institute.
The Analytical Department staff has broad experience in the field of polymer characterization, performs most routine sample analysis for the institute, and assists members of other departments to solve their analytical problems. Training courses for specialized characterization techniques are offered for scientists of the institute and for students of the Dresden University of Technology.
The main research activities of the scientists in the Analytical Department are project-oriented within the main fields of research of the institute. Additionally, fundamental and applied research is conducted for further develop analytical methods for polymer characterization.
Download information:
Polymer analytics: Instrumental equipment (EN)
Polymer analytics: Methods (EN)


text:
Advanced Search Results
Selected topics:
- Casino » "Casino" [remove]
- Near Airport » "O.R. Tambo International Airport" [remove]
- Inspire Me » "Special Occasions" [remove]
- Regions » "South Africa" [remove]
- Regions » "Welkom" [remove]
Matching results: 1
Goldfields Casino
Goldfields Casino is located in the midst of a vibrant gold mining community. The casino includes three designated gaming areas, a buffet restaurant, food court, Sports Bar, kids' entertainment and direct access to the Go...


text:
Need assistance? Call: 03 8774 2705
Sales!! Sales!! Free Shipping
12-month warranty & 30-day money back guarantee
This listing is for 2 x Front seat covers with Full-back and Map Pockets + 1 Set Of Full-Back Rear Seat Covers
(FREE Headrests Included)
Suits All Models
150 series (2009 - Now)
Series 1 (2014 - 2016) & Series 2 (2017 - Now)
SX, ZR, GX, GXL, VX, Altitude, Kakadu
With nearly 40 years' automotive trimming experience in Australia, Supertrim supplies the largest range of Toyota durable seat covers - available in both automotive-grade premium neoprene (wetsuit) and heavy duty 12oz canvas.
Video: How safety airbags works
clip 1; clip 2; clip 3; clip 4
• The standard "half-back" design provides full protection on the front (backrest, bolster, cushion part) while maintaining access to original pockets behind the backrest (if any) by covering only the top section behind the backrest. "Full-back" option means behind the backrest is full-length covered. "Map pockets" option means pockets can be added to both passenger and driver sides.
• The standard rear design covers up the armrest/cup holder (if any), making it inoperable. However, customers can request a zipped armrest cut-out so the armrest/cup holder can still be used (the armrest itself is not covered in most models as the thickness of material would make a cover too bulky to push back into the recess in the seat).
• If your car has rear split seats (e.g. 40/60, or 50/50, or 40-20-40), the rear cover is in sections to allow the split portion still to fold / move independently with the covers fitted on.
Highly durable material
Automotive-grade premium neoprene (wetsuit) material is used for manufacturing seat covers supplied to car companies and car dealers in Australia.
Snug fit
Tailor-made cover tightly shapes around the curves of the seat with no ties or straps needed. It grips to the seat and won't slide around, effectively protecting the original fabric/leather seats.
Easy installation and maintenance
No tool is required to install, simply follow easy steps in the fitting instructions. The covers are machine washable, using normal cold water cycle with mild detergent and then air dry (no bleach, no tumble dry)
Side-mounted airbag compatible
Safe airbag deployment is achieved with the "split-open" airbag seam sewing technique, which is test certified by an Australian accredited test agency.
Charcoal black fabric with light grey stitching as standard. Other stitching colour options are available (for $15 extra per row and additional 3 working days)
Next business day shipment if the item is in stock; otherwise 2 working days to manufacture (plus up to 3 extra working days for added options)
How to install
Is it 100% waterproof? Does it sweat? Would it damage the original leather seat?
The premium neoprene material used is of heavy duty automotive grade 2.5 mm thick, UV stabilized, fade and abrasion resistant. The top layer is synthetic fabric which is comfy to sit on, the backing layer is soft rubber that grips to the seat and will not slide around when sitting on it. That's why it won't cause damage to the leather seat.
Does the rubber smell?
The cover may smell of brand new material but it will go away in a week or two after first use. You might want to hand wash it before use.
How does the Warranty work?
Return and refund
Conditions apply, click here for details.
All Toyota Prado Seat Covers Come With Side Airbags;
150 series (2009 - Now)
Series 1 (2014 - 2016) & Series 2 (2017 - Now)
SX, ZR, GX, GXL, VX, Altitude, Kakadu
Thank you Supertrim for my customised seat covers for my prado grande, black with the tan colour stitching looks and feels great, highly recommended.
It's a 2018 lsm dual cab. Thank you very much for this great deal, I love your products and always highly recommend you to everyone.
Much appreciated for the quick and organised service you provided. Will send you some photos and order the back seats soon. Well done.
We bought the Renault Trafic seat covers from you and are very happy with them. Could I have a cover for the armrest which matches the seat covers?
I am taking this opportunity in thanking you guys for the prompt delivery of my seat covers. The extra cost in ordering the red stitching on black provided an excellent contrast to the exterior of my 4 x 4. The fitting & quality of sewmanship is very good.
They are fantastic! Have them for a Mazda 3. Spills, wet bathers- fantastic.
The custom made seat covers fit perfectly!
Loved the seat covers on my Nissan Navara
Love the car seat covers!


text:
From Yes Weekly!
By Eric Ginsberg
Anyone who has ever been involved in grassroots organizing, a social movement or activism has probably wondered at least once, if not frequently, about if they are being watched. Though police surveillance is no secret — uniformed officers regularly videotape legal protests, for example — what happens with the intelligence is usually a mystery to the public.
In early high school I started participating in anti-war protests and organizing, and before I graduated my mom toyed with the idea of requesting my FBI file. At Guilford College, I continued to organize, on campus and with community groups. Before pursuing journalism more seriously, I worked for two social-justice nonprofits including the Beloved Community Center, all the while aware of police surveillance of the different projects I was connected to.
Eventually the curiosity got to me, and I filed a request with the city for e-mail records with my name as the keyword. I've never been arrested, but I knew assumptions of surveillance weren't just paranoia.
The results were disappointing — there was almost no information about police surveillance — so I kept digging. The department's criminal intelligence work is shrouded in mystery, and the lack of transparency made me determined to see what else I could find.
In some cases, the documents were jarring — police infiltration of Occupy Greensboro, a council member reporting on activist meetings and a list of the surveillance successes at an anarchist conference in town.
Who they are
The criminal intelligence division has taken different forms over the years. Most recently, the two-man team of officers Steven Kory Flowers and Rob Finch has held down the job, providing surveillance on a range of groups the department considers to be "subversive" or "fringe" on the right and the left. Biographical statements on the two men are identical except for stating that Flowers has been in the unit since 2007 and Finch was assigned a year later.
"His daily responsibilities involve monitoring, documenting and prosecuting subversive criminal groups and organizations that include sovereign citizens/antigovernment extremists, outlaw motorcycle gangs, anarchists, separatists and animal/earth extremists," the statements on both read. "He is well versed on covert and overt surveillance techniques used during intelligence operations involving these subversive groups and has worked several large regional and national events in multiple jurisdictions."
They also cover white supremacists, gun enthusiasts, abortion activists, political bloggers and any protest activity in Greensboro. They gather information in a plethora of ways — fake Facebook profiles, "trash pulls," confidential informants, taking surveillance footage and infiltrating groups.
E-mails show the pair is respected as experts in their field. They regularly teach classes and trainings throughout the state on the groups they monitor, coordinate with other law enforcement agencies from the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the FBI to security on college campuses.
Multiple public-information requests filed with the city of Greensboro aimed at the department's surveillance of residents provide an overview of the type of work the pair has conducted and how they've gone about collecting information, but is not an exhaustive search of their activities.
Information in the requests directly pertained to the groups and categories requested — several requests, including ones on white supremacists, were not processed in time for this article. The requests only cover e-mail correspondence, several of which refer to much more expansive files on people with photographs, known associates, residences, cars and other information gathered. These files were not transmitted electronically but moved — between Greensboro police and the FBI, for example — on discs at face-to-face meetings avoiding a paper trail.
Criminal intelligence is not necessarily connected to particular crimes, but targets specific kinds of organizations and builds files that could be used at a later date if needed. Just like the activists and "subversives" that were under surveillance for legal activity, the department's intelligence gathering is not illegal either, but many could be surprised to learn the extent to which they were monitored and where the information came from.
According to e-mails from Finch and Flowers, they spend a significant amount of time monitoring websites. In a March 2011 e-mail, Flowers listed nine websites they monitor regularly, ranging from local bloggers to the Animal Liberation Front's press office (despite no activity in the area), two of which had my name on them.
Nestled on the list between a gun enthusiast forum and the Peace & Justice Network was me — a link to my old blog that allegedly had "very up-to-date anarchist and leftist news for Greensboro" and the now-defunct Greensboro Indymedia, a group I was a part of but that Flowers put my name on, calling it "Ginsburg's public page for anarchist news/photos/concerts/ etc."
Despite having filed a public-information request on myself out of curiosity, I didn't see this e-mail until I was clicking through a much more massive request on the Almighty Latin King & Queen Nation, and I immediately wondered what else was missing.
None of the public-information requests uncovered an expansive list of individuals who the police watch, though some names came up repeatedly. The number extends beyond Flowers' 2011 list, which also included Fecund Stench blogger Jeff Martin — a June 2008 e-mail from Sgt. Mike Richey to Finch directed him to monitor five other websites including a blog by former city council candidate Ryan Shell, the Interactive Resource Center Director Liz Seymour's blog, Asheville Indymedia and the HIVE.
Flowers listed eight other websites in a Dec. 12, 2011 e-mail that he monitors daily, including international anarchist and white power websites, two white "sovereign" groups and Greensboro Indymedia, which he noted had a "lot of cop-hating."
I focused on a few search terms, but requests filed Nov. 16, 2012 for "communist" and "communism"; "Palestine," "Palestinian," "candlelight vigil," "Gaza"and "Israel"; "war" and "protest", "Iraq" and "peace"; "socialism"; "Indymedia"; and "HIVE" were not processed in time for the article. In the interest of space, the details of the NAACP search and the department's collaboration with other law enforcement agencies are available at yesweeklyblog.blogspot.com.
What they monitored
As the protest monitoring for a typical month shows, Flowers and Finch spent their time on everything from a postal workers' protest at a congressional office to gathering and providing intelligence on groups like Equality NC protesting against "the anti-gay constitutional amendment." The officers, and others who worked with them, sat in on city council meetings undercover, watched MoveOn and ACLU protests, attended student demonstrations like one against rape at UNCG and met with school resource officers about students who might be affiliated with anarchists at Southwest Middle School and an alleged neo-Nazi following at Northeast Guilford.
The division's work predates Flowers and Finch — Sergeant William Fox in the intelligence section of the department's metropolitan bureau sent an e-mail in October 2005 outlining upcoming events of interest. It included an anti-abortion protest, a demonstration against police brutality noting that there would be "local anarchists beating drums etc.," an anti-war protest, a visit by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and a Truth & Reconciliation dialogue at a church.
Report-backs from protests the department monitored often list "notable protesters" who were in attendance regardless of whether there were any issues.
At a protest against police videotaping public events on Feb. 9, 2006 — which the report noted "was peaceful and problem free," Beloved Community Center Director Nelson Johnson, revolutionary communist Tim Hopkins and two other attendees were listed.
Hopkins' name appeared in more detailed event reports, including a 2006 protest against then-President George W. Bush's visit to Greensboro.
"It was apparent that Tim Hopkins and Scott Trent could not control the out-of-town protesters," Detective James Robinson wrote in the report. "Scott Trent used a bull horn throughout the event and actually advised the crowd not to advance on the police or you will be arrested. None of the visiting protesters have been identified except for David Dixon with the NC Peace and Justice Coalition out of Charlotte."
A thorough report from Finch about a protest against police brutality on Aug. 24, 2009 concludes "Notables in attendance: Tim Hopkins, Nelson Johnson, Dangerous Person Stacy Forster, Jorge Cornell and several Latin Kings." Many of the reports are short, mundane and disconnected from suspected criminal activity.
Besides the more specific websites the department monitored, Finch and Flowers also created fake Facebook and MySpace profiles targeting different so-called subversive groups. Officer Beth Sheffield also received e-mail updates when a "close friend" posted articles about anarchism on Facebook.
Three appeared from the same person in a few weeks around late November 2011, and one was about Buddhism and anarchism while the other two were about anarchist authors. Sheffield also received e-mail notification from Facebook when UNCG student and Occupy Greensboro participant Juan Miranda posted about Israel and socialism.
Flowers followed Legitimate Business on Facebook, a former music venue he dubbed an "anarchist concert hall" and which the department took photos of as part of its preparation for surveillance at a Greensboro anarchist conference.
Going undercover
The police department occasionally sent officers undercover to monitor events, but not just to watch protests from a distance. When then-Chief Tim Bellamy met with the NAACP and then-City Manager Mitchell Johnson at New Light Baptist Church in February 2006, he requested an undercover detective to come along. Cpl. Norman Rankin, who was assigned to the detail, noted that the meeting was "uneventful" and that "no safety issues arose." The report doesn't indicate why Bellamy felt an undercover officer's presence was necessary.
Both Greensboro and Winston-Salem's police departments sent undercover cops to participate in "general assembly" meetings for local Occupy groups. In one e-mail, Winston-Salem police Officer Daniel Battjes forwarded a photo of an alleged sovereign citizen at an Occupy Winston- Salem meeting who was supposedly from Greensboro and asked for help identifying the man.
Finch himself went undercover in Occupy Greensboro, not just attending meetings but participating in them. At an Oct. 16, 2011 meeting, Finch realized Occupy planned to protest Bank of America near the location where President Barack Obama's motorcade would be passing on Green Valley Road, and he worked to figure out if the decision was a coincidence or intentional.
"At the meeting right now, I'm trying to push the idea that Occupy should concen-trate their efforts on the park/YWCA and forget BofA," Finch wrote. "Hopefully, that will be successful. More info to follow as it comes in."
His intelligence was relayed up the chain of command to Chief Ken Miller, who was coordinating with the Secret Service to provide security for the president's visit.
Cpl. Stevenson also attended Occupy meetings in October 2011, and "received information in regards to Guilford College students drumming up support for protest."
Police tried to keep a low profile around Occupy Greensboro, with officers who weren't undercover keeping their distance. Sgt. William Graves explained their role in an Oct. 19, 2011 e-mail to police supervisors and command staff, referring to the Occupy encampment that was permitted at the YWCA downtown.
"We are there to monitor not provide security for the YMCA or the Occupiers," he wrote. "Keep in mind that this is a nationwide 'movement' and 'we' do not want to be used by these individuals as a reason to justify their 'cause.' Please have your officers notify the Watch Commander if the Occupiers begin to mobilize or expand their area of occupation to city property."
Police discussed the role of socialists and anarchists in the movement, but Finch wrote in an e-mail about socialists and Occupy that "[Flowers] and I have only been able to scratch the surface on the Zeitgeist/Socialism/Marxist movement in NC," thanking another officer for information he supplied about the "99% and Zeitgeist Movement" in October 2011.
In a Nov. 18, 2011 e-mail, Finch said the Beloved Community Center and Nelson Johnson "have officially joined the Occupy movement" and that Johnson sent a letter asking his congregation to join Occupy Greensboro. According to an intelligence report for the month, at least five other officers monitored Occupy Greensboro actions.
He reported back on everything from the size and location of the meetings to the participants, saying that by late November 2011 the group had dwindled to "'diehards' and non-job having people" numbering between 40 and 50. "They have lots of ideas for their next move but are having a difficult time getting a consensus vote to move forward with anything big," he wrote on Nov. 28.
The department also gathered information about Occupy with the help of an informant, who forwarded Finch e-mails about different projects Tim Hopkins was involved in and said in one Oct. 21, 2011 e-mail that he had invited Occupy Greensboro to attend a march against police brutality that involved Hopkins. In a Jan. 15, 2012 e-mail to Flowers, Finch forwarded a message "from the snitch" about an e-mail Hopkins sent about Michelle Alexander's book, The New Jim Crow.
The department found out about events from other sources who forwarded them information, like a press release from the Spirit of the Sit-In Movement Initiative that Rhinoceros Times Editor John Hammer sent to the city to warn them about a protest outside city council.
Unnamed informants were referenced throughout different requests, but the only insight into how many exist and who may have been paid was outside of the criminal intelligence division. A police Powerpoint on confidential informants in the vice narcotics division in fiscal year 2010-2011 said the division had $45,000 in the confidential fund, listed eight officers with a total of 50 informants, 28 of which were active.
"Some are being paid and some are working off charges," the slide said.
Most of the information obtained about Greensboro police directly infiltrating local groups and protests by going undercover is recent — though a specific request about undercover officers was not filed — but not all. The department did find creative ways to monitor protests in the past, sending Gary Hastings, who retired as an assistant chief, "on a float disguised as a jazz musician" to film the 2006 Fourth of July parade that police expected Anti-Racist Action to attend. Hastings had a "micro cam" rigged to the cone of his trumpet.
An unexpected source
Even before being elected to council, Marikay Abuzuaiter was known for her community activism. From her direct involvement in the fight against reopening the White Street landfill to her work on the human relations commission, Abuzuaiter built a name for herself around being one of the people. A month before she was elected to council, she attended the first Occupy Greensboro meeting and remained connected, and once on council continued to attend numerous community organizing meetings.
Yet for years, Abuzuaiter has been a confidential informant for the police department, forwarding information from various e-mail lists like the Peace & Justice Network and gathering intelligence at meetings.
"She was a frequent CI [confidential informant] during the Palestinian Protests," Richey wrote on Nov. 25, 2009. "She called a few minutes ago to advise us Tim Hopkins is planning a protest for 1530 hours at Market and Elm the day after Obama announces a troop build up in Afghanistan.
His surge protest in 2006 was the time we ended up arresting 11 when they tried to takeover the street. You should have the Intell report on your computer.
"Marikay said you can call her, just keep her involvement among us. She was very reliable and hates Hopkins so there is plenty of motivation."
Abuzuaiter characterizes her role differently, saying she was not participating in events to collect intelligence but sometimes coordinated with police, like when she was a parade marshal for Occupy Greensboro.
"The relationship started when I was in some rallies that we were being targeted for when we had beer bottles thrown at us and things," Abuzuaiter said, referring to rallies about Israel and Palestine. At a subsequent rally, she said she called 911 when a van stopped and people got out and harassed them, and openly coordinated on behalf of groups like a cross-town car caravan against the landfill. "They needed to know."
"I'm only in places I want to be," she said, adding that police never sent her to meetings to send back information and that it wasn't her goal. "To me, you need to listen to all citizens' points of very. I've been very, very committed to that."
Abuzuaiter organized a candlelight vigil for Gaza on Jan. 24, 2009, according to an intelligence report by Finch, and about 40 people attended, including Hopkins and Muslim community leader Badi Ali.
Her e-mails cover an array of topics, but a public information request about Palestinian protests was not available before this article went to print. Some information about surveillance of Palestinian protests appeared in a public-information request on Hopkins, like one covering several demonstrations in early March 2008 that said, "each protest was attended by approximately 45-60 participants most of whom were women and children." The report also notes that people held Palestinian and "jihadist" flags.
Abuzuaiter often sent short notes to Officer Teresa Biffle on events she attended and forwarded information about upcoming events. A March 24, 2010 forwarded e-mail to Biffle included a call to support Hairston Homes residents who were in court fighting eviction and Abuzuaiter's report from a meeting on the issue.
"I have no idea how many might show up for this," she wrote. "There were about 60 last night at Nelson Johnson's church – including 2 or 3 Latin Kings. I'm going to try to be in court."
As the DNC drew closer, Abuzuaiter sent Greensboro police two photos of a planning map from the Coalition to Protest the DNC that was discussed at a meeting.
The anarchists
Greensboro police surveillance of anarchists is nothing new, but there has been a dramatic increase in the number of e-mail exchanges about them in the last two years, especially connected to an anarchist book fair in Chapel Hill, the third NC Rising conference that was held in Greensboro in May 2011 and anticipated actions against the Democratic National Convention, or DNC.
In October 2005, intelligence officer Scott Sanders forwarded two photos of alleged anarchists to officers including Cuthbertson to identify. One photo showed Cakalak Thunder playing drums while marching while the other was of a man in a penis suit, which one officer forwarded and wrote "Look at what we have to deal with…" Sanders' actions around the same time landed him in criminal court, having led a controversial internal investigation on officers of color. He was found not guilty of a felony charge stemming from the incident.
Years later, a report stated that on Oct. 25, 2009 "individuals reasonably believed by law enforcement to be anarchist extremists used a Molotov cocktail-type device in an attempt to burn down a High Point, North Carolina business… associated with an identified white supremacist group."
The other information in the public requests does not mention the property destruction in High Point nor any follow up investigation or arrest. Most of the chatter about anarchists isn't tied to suspicion of illegal activity except for crimes police feared might be committed, with a few exceptions for graffiti and some property damage in other cities.
As Finch explains in his Powerpoint presentation on anarchists in the state, "it is NOT illegal to be an anarchist" and most anarchists are peaceful and will use "passive resistance and civil disobedience" but there are a "decent number of 'hardcore' anarchist extremists" in the state.
The presentation traces the history of anarchism and claims that today it is connected to May Day, or International Workers' Day, a holiday Finch claimed is just "a day set every year to meet as a group and destroy property." The Powerpoint includes several surveillance photos of alleged anarchists attending the NC Rising conference in Greensboro.
Some of the presentation was pulled directly from Wikipedia while other slides were designed to make fun of anarchists, like one slide ridiculing skinny jeans. Another, depicting a riot scene, reads "anarchist protest tip #47: Even though you want to stick it to the man, Ladies, it's still advisable to shave your armpits."
Finch's presentation continues with an outline of groups that should be monitored for anarchists, from labor to environmental to anti-police violence and offers advise for dealing with anarchists. The list begins by declaring "YOU WILL BE RECORDED!" which is proclaimed at the end for emphasis. "They will be very vocal/ confrontational," it continues. "They are often very articulate. They will know the law, especially search and seizure. They will try and bait you."
Flowers offered a more simplistic explanation of anarchists in a June 2011 e-mail to another officer who asked what an anarchist was. "Believe in no government, no rules, no police," he wrote.
In a May 30, 2012 e-mail about a state GOP convention in town, Finch said that anarchists "shouldn't be any threat to this event," but that he'd ask Charlotte's "anarchist snitches to keep their ears open as well."
Despite Finch's proclaimed expertise on the subject, a list of anarchists throughout the state he provided in a Nov. 7, 2011 e-mail indicates a lack of thoroughness or understanding, lumping numerous outspoken communists into his anarchist list.
Liz Seymour, the director of the Interactive Resource Center, made Finch's list but was mentioned in one other intelligence e-mail in September 2007 when Richey found a post on Ed Cone's blog with a link to her website and said, "We should probably keep an eye on it."
Seymour was surprised that she was mentioned recently, but said she heard second-hand that Greensboro police were warned about her when Occupy started.
"My sister for a while was dating a Greensboro police officer and he told her that when the Occupy encampment went up that the police were given three-ring binders with pictures and descriptions of people to watch out for and that I was on the second page," she said.
She was told the first page only had a picture of someone with a black mask being arrested. Though she never saw the binder, Seymour said she believed it exists and wears the story as a badge of honor.
"I'm trying to claim it as much as I can," she said. "I'm 63 and a half now, and you just don't get to be very dangerous at this age anymore. I believe in ideas that have nothing to do with violence but that I think are powerful and potentially dangerous to business as usual when business as usual isn't working."
Around the same time as Finch generated the list, which was supplied to the FBI, the department was participating in "anarchist roundtable meetings" to prepare for the DNC in Charlotte. Michael Speedling, who was the assistant city manager, said in a June 2011 e-mail that he didn't want to send additional officers to the DNC because "we have enough of our own homegrown knuckleheads that we need to focus on" in reference to an antigentrification protest in Chapel Hill that police dubbed a riot.
In his report on an anarchist book fair in Carrboro in November 2010, Finch listed two notable attendees, including "local Greensboro street artist Bev Purdue," who appears to share a name with the former governor.
NC Rising
Police made extensive preparations for surveillance of seemingly mild anarchist events for the sake of intelligence gathering, like the book fair and the 2011 NC Rising anarchist conference in Greensboro.
Finch drew up surveillance plans for NC Rising, from a broad overview to giving Officer Stephanie Mardis directions to wear a hat and sunglasses so that anarchists who might videotape police couldn't identify her. Finch requested undercover surveillance of three locations that were being used for the conference as well as a team doing roving traffic stops, saying the main goal was to ensure public safety and the second was to get as much intelligence as possible.
NC Rising organizers offered housing for out-of-town visitors, and Flowers recommended that Charlotte police send an undercover female officer and to sign up for housing. "Don't mention anything about the DNC on your first e-mail to them," he wrote. "They'll catch it and block you. Your UC will most likely have to spend the weekend at one of the houses in order to attend seminars."
In a separate message, Flowers forwarded Finch his confirmation e-mail to stay with "Sarah" on Walker Avenue. In a June 22, 2011 e-mail to Portland, Ore. criminal intelligence officer Aaron Sparling, Flowers stated that Charlotte sent four officers to NC Rising, but did not say in what capacity.
In an e-mail thanking officers for their help covering NC Rising, Finch said a "tremendous amount of intelligence was gathered on a large number of anarchists from around the country." His preliminary numbers said 48 vehicles and 90 anarchists from 10 states were photographed, including previously unknown anarchists throughout the state, that several "safe houses" were identified and that they collected "invaluable intelligence" about plans to disrupt the DNC.
In at least one instance, the department flagged a house in southeast Greensboro that they "confirmed" as an anarchist location according to an April 2012 e-mail. Flowers drove by early one morning and wrote down the license plates of five vehicles parked outside and said "Looks like this house is a jackpot for the anarchist crowd." When Lt. Renae Sigmon asked how they found the information, Flowers said he stopped "a known anarchist" driving without a tag and traced it to the house.
Cpl. Stevenson listed other addresses including the Green Bean, a house on Glen wood Avenue and the "Student Union" at Guilford College — which is not the name of any space on campus — as ongoing sites for anarchist surveillance. Flowers and Finch identified a house on Cedar Street and another on Simpson Street as anarchist houses in May 2011.
Flowers and Finch initially learned about the conference, the Carrboro anarchist book fair the year before and anarchist plans to participate in a march against the White Street landfill through posts on Greensboro Indymedia, a website designed for political announcements, events and critiques.
Conflicts with white power
Police saw the Carrboro book fair as "a good opportunity to see a majority of the anarchists," as Biffle wrote on Oct. 22. "The anarchists are the group that is hard to break the network of," she wrote. "They are the group that protest the NSM [neo-Nazis] and vandalized vehicles and buildings."
Other e-mails refer to conflict or anticipated friction between white supremacists and anarchists, including the Ole Glory Skin Heads meeting on Huffman Street and the Confederate Hammerskins.
"According to Detective Robinson anarchists from one of the local universities may attempt to cause problems and confront participants at this [skinhead] meeting," Sgt. William Graves wrote on March 30, 2011.
In Nov. 19, 2010 e-mail about criminal investigations CIS was involved in over the preceding two years, Flowers listed 2010 surveillance of a white-supremacist concert and a related vandalism case "investigated by CIS following anarchists attacking white-supremacist vehicle at event" but didn't list any names or say that charges were filed.
Several people connected to the leftwing organizations under surveillance by the department, who requested to remain anonymous, expressed concern about the extent of police monitoring, infiltration and time spent on social justice and radically oriented groups. While public information requests are not exhaustive searches of covert and overt police surveillance, many said they intended to file requests related to the ones in this article or on themselves, calling to mind the famous question: Who watches the watchmen?
Want to file a public information request?
Contact the city of Greensboro's public information officers, Donnie Turlington or Jake Keys, at 336-373-3769, Donald.Turlington@greensboro-nc. gov or email@example.com. Specify the search terms and time period desired.
About Robert C. Finch
Rob Finch has been part of the police department's criminal intelligence division since 2008. Readers may remember him for his allegations that Latin Kings leader Jorge Cornell struck him in the face in December 2007, claims that did not stand up in court.
Finch's e-mails take a softer tone at times, referring to FBI agent Nicholas Combs as "Big Sexy" in response to a Sept. 10, 2012 request for information on anarchists working with the Latin Kings in Greensboro. He joked about his prolific cursing and said in a March 8, 2012 e-mail that he might "even get out and do some real police work for a change!" In an Aug. 30, 2012 e-mail he said he would be glad when the Democratic National Convention was over, adding that "I'll be down there on Saturday to get my anarchist on and riot."
Other times Finch complained to Flowers about not receiving credit for his work and his frustration with coworkers, especially in November 2011.
"How about the other guys on the unit pull their own weight and stop relying on us for everything," he wrote to Flowers on Nov. 22. "The command staff doesn't care about any of this stuff until something comes up and then they expect our unit, err… I mean me and you, to handle it immediately. Great strategy…promote you out of the unit and run me off."
On Nov. 27 he wrote that fellow officer Eric Stevenson "straight up ripped my info and pulled a Nick Klem move. Wow." Three days later he appeared even madder about training called "A Briefing on Anarchist Trends in North Carolina" by FBI analyst Stacy Cohen.
"Dude, I just read what she's actually talking about at this thing," he wrote. "Where do you suppose she got the info she'll be talking about??? Think she'll show some pictures that SHE didn't take… man, I'm pissed now."
Finch also expressed frustration about an alleged threat from Occupy Greensboro against a Christmas tree — which didn't amount to anything — saying "I don't know what's more pathetic… them wanting to send a message by targeting a tree or us having to guard one!!?!!" Finch is not alone in expressing frustration with other officers in e-mails — Capt.
John Wolfe wrote to Deputy Chief Anita Holder about the arrest of an alleged anarchist on May Day 2012, saying, "I am of the opinion that the Officer (Gonzalez) made a poor… forget it. That isn't my job." Holder said she wasn't "trying to Monday morning quarterback this thing" in a response that copied the chief, but said Gonzalez may have acted too quickly.
About Steven Kory Flowers
Often going by Kory in his e-mails, Flowers was posted in criminal intelligence in 2007. By the beginning of 2012, Flowers had been promoted and transferred out of intelligence to the Central E Squad, telling an officer in Chapel Hill that he was sorry to be missing out on some of the fun "with the Occupy/anarchist folks."
Some of his e-mails are more lighthearted, like one to Dawn Karie with the NC Department of Justice in November 2011 where he forwarded a lesson plan on "sovereign citizens" and simply wrote, "Dawn — yo wassup here it is yo." Two months later describing anarchist collective CrimethInc, Flowers called them "young troublemakers," seeming to suggest the group wasn't a serious threat. In a June 2011 exchange, Flowers talked about his renovated den and playing Xbox with a friend who he collaborated with about pagans in Reidsville.
Other messages appeared to be jokes on first blush but actually seem to be serious, like a Feb. 17, 2011 e-mail from Flowers with a link to a music video labeled "local anarchist music video" for the band Invisible, even though there is nothing particularly political about the video. The duo likely shared a laugh over an April 2011 exchange, where Finch wrote "Tim Hopkins is on my plane to Newark… you've got to be kidding me," and Flowers replied, "Dude… wtf."
He invited Porland, Ore. intelligence officer Aaron Sparling to come down and monitor an anarchist conference in May 2011, writing, "We'll cover it and eat collard greens somewhere with a nice southern microbrew." By mid-2012, things didn't seem to be going as well, and though Flowers was out of the intelligence division he was assigned to lead "one of six undercover surveillance teams monitoring anarchist activities" at the DNC. In the same Aug. 27 e-mail he wrote that he was "still dealing with long-term spiritual dryness and staleness," asking the five recipients to pray for him, his wife and two kids.


text:
An article published in Reuters, July 30th, 2012.
With its parks,
centuries-old palaces, history and culture, Beijing should be one of the
more pleasant capitals of the world. Instead, it's considered among the
worst to live in because of chronic air pollution.
Lung cancer rates are rising
among the 20 million residents of China's capital, health officials say.
For many multinational companies, Beijing is considered a hardship
posting and, despite the extra allowances that classification brings,
some executives are leaving.
some days, Beijing is enveloped in a brownish-grey smog, so thick it
gets indoors, stings the eyes and darkens the sky in the middle of the
Smoke from factories and
heating plants, winds blowing in from the Gobi Desert and fumes from
millions of vehicles can combine to blanket the city in this pungent
shroud for days. English-speaking residents sometimes call the city
"Greyjing" or "Beige-jing".
Some foreigners plan their daily events around the U.S. Embassy's Twitter feed on Beijing's air quality (twitter.com/beijingair), which has hourly posts.
a bad day, you're going to change your plans," said American Chauvon
Venick, who moved to Beijing from Los Angeles with her lawyer husband
and young daughter earlier this year.
wake up, look outside and it's a great day, you skip whatever you're
going to do and go outside to enjoy it. If it's a really bad day, maybe
we'll go and do something inside.
"I'm not going to have her out and about," Venick added, referring to her daughter.
the embassy's air quality index has been consistently in the
"unhealthy" range around 170 in the past week, the winter months can be
especially bad as residents crank up the heating.
day in early December, Beijing's smog was so severe it forced the main
airport to shut for several hours, and the U.S. Embassy's index reached
its ceiling with a reading of 500, meaning the air was hazardous to
human health.
Last year, the state-run China
Daily quoted a Beijing health official as saying the lung cancer rate
in the city had increased by 60 percent during the past decade, even
though the smoking rate during the period had not seen an apparent rise.
Economist Intelligence Unit's liveability index this year ranked
Beijing's pollution at 4.5, with 5 being the worst. Out of 70 cities
surveyed, the only ones rated worse were Mumbai, New Delhi, Karachi,
Dakar, Dhaka and Cairo.
has a lot going for it, aside from being capital of the world's
second-largest economy and home to UNESCO World Heritage sites like the
Summer Palace and world-famous cuisine.
But the pollution has reached such levels it can be hard convincing foreign executives to move to the city.
can't get people to move here. Pollution is a big worry, especially if
you have children," said a Beijing-based executive for a large Western
financial services firm, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Beijing
is considered a hardship posting nobody wants."
taking advantage include companies that make air purifiers, which
report booming business and count big foreign firms among their clients.
last year were three times the average of what we had seen in previous
years," said Zheng Hui, a sales consultant for Swiss company IQ Air,
which entered the Chinese market more than five years ago.
Chinese authorities made an all-out effort to improve air quality during the 2008 Summer Olympics, curtailing vehicle movements and relocating outdated, polluting factories.
The relief was temporary, as curbs on factories were relaxed and car sales continued to rocket.
It is still a sensitive issue, especially as Beijing tries to position itself as a global business hub.
month, a senior Chinese official demanded foreign embassies stop
issuing air pollution readings, saying it was against the law and
diplomatic conventions, in pointed criticism of the U.S. Embassy index.
The Beijing authorities say they are well aware of the air pollution problem.
are trying to improve air quality. It is not only to attract investment
from abroad; we are also doing it for the health of all Beijingers," an
official at Beijing's environmental protection bureau told Reuters,
speaking on condition of anonymity.
Elsewhere in China, there have been protests in recent weeks over threats to the environment.
Saturday, officials cancelled an industrial waste pipeline project
after anti-pollution demonstrators occupied a government office in
eastern China, destroying computers and overturning cars.
this month, thousands took to the streets in Sichuan province's Shifang
town to protest against a $1.6 billion copper refinery they feared
would poison their families. The city government swiftly called off the
For expatriates in Beijing, especially from the West, air pollution is not the only challenge.
is not widely spoken, public transport is often crowded, food safety is
a worry and tight controls on the Internet mean websites like Facebook
and Twitter are hard to access.
expat staff themselves looking to move here, the concerns they
invariably express to me are: first and foremost safety of consumables
and/or prevalence of fake and adulterated groceries, drinking water, pet
food and so on, and then the high fees associated with international
schools. Pollution is mentioned, but only in passing," said a consultant
who advises foreign businesses operating in China.
that said, a number of clients and friends of mine are now angling to
leave China after having been here a few years, and a major factor in
that desire is pollution," added the consultant, who asked not to be
Last week, Charlie
Custer, Beijing-based editor-in-chief of the respected ChinaGeeks blog,
announced he and his wife were leaving for the United States, partly
because of the pollution.
"I like
breathing," he wrote. "There's really nothing forcing me to live in
Beijing. It is, in many ways, a wonderful city, and it's probably the
most fascinating, exciting place I have ever lived. However, it was also
killing me.
"Obviously there are
millions of families in Beijing, and they deal. Certainly, we could deal
too. But the question I couldn't stop asking myself was, why should
It is hard to gauge exactly how many foreigners are leaving due to pollution as there are no official numbers.
the city and China generally remains an attractive place to live for
many, especially as its economy booms despite turmoil in Europe and a
slow recovery in the United States.
is obviously more polluted and it's not ideal, but senior executives or
directors move jobs because of their career," said Cater Yang, managing
director for China at global placement agency Robert Walters. "The
China experience will make their career shine more."
people with some of the best knowledge about expatriate movements --
moving companies -- say Beijing keeps drawing in foreigners.
"China's certainly a popular destination," said Nick Dobson, Corporate Services Manager North China for Crown Relocations.
"We're busier," he added. "The rental market continues to rise, and the demand for quality expat housing is outrageous."


text:
Church of Scientology–Final Judgment of European Court of Human Rights Defend Religious Freedom
The judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of religious associations of the Church of Scientology in Surgut and Nizhnekamsk is final. On October 1, 2009, the European Court of Human Rights delivered the judgment in the cases NN 76836/01 and 32782/03 in favor of the Churches of Scientology of Surgut and Nizhnekamsk.
The final judgment of the European Court found a violation of the rights of the applicants by the Russian Federation and in particular, violation of the provisions of Article 9 of the Convention (freedom of thought, conscience and religion) in the light of Article 11 (freedom of assembly and association).
The Court found that "the restricted status afforded to religious groups under the Religions Act did not allow members of such a group to enjoy effectively their right to freedom of religion, rendering such a right illusory and theoretical rather than practical and effective, as required by the Convention.
"The applications for registration as a religious organization submitted by the first and second applicants as founders of their respective groups … were denied by reference to the insufficient period of the groups' existence. Finally, the restricted status of a religious group for which they qualified and in which the third applicant existed conveyed no practical or effective benefits to them as such a group was deprived of legal personality, property rights and the legal capacity to protect the interests of its members and was also severely hampered in the fundamental aspects of its religious functions.
"In the instant case the Russian Government did not identify any pressing social need which the impugned restriction served or any relevant and sufficient reasons which could justify the lengthy waiting period that a religious organization had to endure prior to obtaining legal personality."
President of the Church of Scientology of Nizhnekamsk, Mr. Emir Ramazanov, stated, "the judgment of the European Court not only raises the standards of the protection of freedom of conscience and freedom of association to a new level in Russia and in Europe, but also confirms that the European standards guarantee the protection even when injustice comes from national laws."
The Scientology religion was founded by author and philosopher L. Ron Hubbard. Scientologists believe that Man is an immortal spiritual being and basically good, and that the spiritual potential of Man can be restored (i.e., Man can be salvaged) within one lifetime. The first Church was opened in the United States in 1954. Now Scientology has over 8,500 Churches, Missions and affiliated groups and millions of members in 165 countries. In Russia there are over 40 Churches and Missions of Scientology, from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok.


text:
Indicative Rate * AU$67.00 to AU$126.00
Traveling between Rockhampton and Brisbane or the Gold Coast? Take a break at Bungadoo Country Cottage, only 10 minutes from Gin Gin, the perfect halfway point.
They are off the highway so there's no traffic noise. You can relax under the shady mango trees and enjoy the bird life, or take a stroll around the 25 acres of natural bush and gardens. It's a perfect place to set up a base and explore the whole region.
Only 10 minutes to Bucca Rowing Course and 45 kilometres from Lake Monduran. Plenty of secure parking for your boat and trailers.
Two bed self-contained cottage, queen bed in one room and two single beds in the other. An additional room is available with a double bed and a single bed for extended families.
Note: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator's website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD).


text:
Moderator: Thunt
thinkslogically wrote:This looks really cool, but I think I'll stick to the games in already in for now. I'll be following along though - I want to know what's in that cave
SPOILERS:Tasty People
+2 Charisma: Tasty People have strong natural pheromones.
-2 Wisdom: Tasty People have a racial predisposition for making bad decisions.
When faced with an encounter involving a predatory creature, a Tasty Person must make a Charisma Check. If the DC (15) is met, the creature will attack the Tasty Person to the exclusion of other targets who are not also Tasty People who have met this DC. The DC should be modified for monsters with a strong sense of smell, I leave this to your discretion as a DM. The monster is not forced to attack the Tasty Person if doing so would cause it to take an attack of opportunity.
A Tasty Person's starting class should be treated as his favored class.
Tasty People speak Common.
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


text:
Roos House Underway at SUNY CantonWednesday, July 1st, 2009
Northland Associates of Liverpool continues to make excellent progress towards the construction of SUNY Canton's new Convocation, Athletic, and Recreation Center, nicknamed "The Roos House." Construction workers have begun pouring the foundation main portion of the complex, which will feature locker rooms and athletic staff offices. They will soon begin shaping the ice rink and field house for the 140,000 square foot building. Construction is scheduled to be completed by January 2011.
The project, coupled with the College's other cross-campus renovations and projects, will dramatically change the overall atmosphere of the College, according to SUNY Canton President Joseph L. Kennedy.
SUNY Canton offers a wide variety of career-driven bachelor's, associate, and certificate programs, as well as three master's degrees in conjunction with SUNYIT, Utica. Most of SUNY Canton's new four-year programs are designed so students can take them on-campus, online, or both. SUNY Canton OnLine features more than 100 courses online each semester. The College's athletic teams belong to the NAIA's Sunrise Conference, enabling students to compete in their respective sports for four years. Construction is now underway for the College's new Convocation, Athletic, and Recreation Center.
Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Coordinator, or call 315/386-7528.


text:
$ 149.00
Sweet Spot Spiritile by artist Houston Llew is a beautiful handmade work of American craft. It features a bird house with a touching quote by Robert Montgomery: "Home - the spot on the earth supremely blest, a sweeter spot than all the rest." Sweet Spot is the perfect piece to compliment any wall!
Each Spiritile is carefully handmade using a series of intricate stencil techniques. From the beginning, Houston's vision for his enameled artworks drew from the beauty of simplicity. He sought after an imagistic theme for his work rather than pursuing the abstract often seen in other enameled wall art. The image is just the beginning - each piece is paired with a quote sgraffitoed around the sides to create an inspiring story through words and images in glass.
Spiritiles are collectibles that capture the Spirit of the Enlightened Moment. They are created with molten glass on copper, and are 100% American Made. All the raw materials of Spiritiles are made in USA: the glass comes from the Southeast and the copper comes from the Southwest. The imagery is created by hand with colored glass kiln fired to copper. This tile easily wall hangs or stands alone. It will never fade or tarnish and may be enjoyed in sunny or humid spots where other art may not endure.
Sweet Spot Spiritile features:
Home- the spot on the earth supremely blest, a sweeter spot than all the rest.
All items are handmade and subject to availability. Shipping times will vary!
If you have any questions please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com
Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more …
Get the latest information and offers right in your email inbox + 10% off your first purchase with code WELCOME10


text:
- Philly (12-4). Lots of folks got all pumped up as Philly kept adding high profile free agents. Then there was a lull and now, for some reason, some of those same people are not as high on the team. I am. I was high on Philly before they added all these new players. Vick, McCoy, Jackson, Maclin, Celek are all high quality players who could be even better with the additional talent. I particularly like their acquisition of Vince Young. I know he has an attitude but he went to Philly because of Andy Reid where he'll learn and grow. If Vick goes down, I'd bet that Young will be able to fill in almost seamlessly because the guy is a winner and he'll be surrounded by talent (and held in check by Reid). Jenkins, Asomugha, Ronnie Brown, Rodgers-Cromartie, WR Steve Smith – all these guys will contribute. Philly will be a dominant team this year.
- Dallas (10-6). Dallas is a team that has improved on offense. They got rid of Roy Williams, who sucks. (I wonder if his 40 time is over 5.0 – seriously.) They have Miles Austin and Dez Bryant at WR – 2 top 15 WRs in my opinion – and a couple other young guys who are quietly making names for themselves (in Dwayne Harris and Jesse Holley). They have a top 3 TE in Witten, another quality TE in Martellus Bennett and one of the top rated QBs in NFL history in Romo. But perhaps the most important move they made? Getting rid of Marion Barber. I don't dislike Barber but it seemed his role in the offense the last few years was to simply take the ball out of he hands of Felix Jones, the more talented RB. Tashard Choice and exciting rookie DeMarco Murray may get some carries but it appears as though the team is ready to commit to Felix being the full-time back. Jones should not only do reasonably well running the ball, but he'll continue to burn other teams as a receiver. Dallas will play a lot of tweener games this year – games against opponents that aren't elite level teams but that also aren't afterhoughts (Tampa, St. Louis, Buffalo, Miami, Detroit, NYG) – and they'll have to win most of these games in order to make the playoffs.
- NYG (7-9). I don't like the Giants this year. I rarely do like the Giants and have been burned a few times with this stubborn line of thinking, but I just don't like the team this year. While they do bring back some impressive defensive personnel, I think they'll miss Barry Cofield in the middle and their LBs could be a liability. Offensively I think they'll miss Steve Smith (even though the offense wasn't bad last year without him.) Bradshaw and Jacobs will still be effective, but the passing game for the Giants may not be too potent (unless they figure out a way to get Wisconsin TE Travis Beckum involved). Yes, even Eli, who claimed that he's an elite QB earlier this year, will struggle in the passing game. The Giants first half schedule looks quite soft and it may have some Giants' fans drooling, but starting with week 9 @ NE, it's entirely possible the Giants go 1-8 to close out the season. And lastly, I feel like their meltdown at the end of the year last year may have hurt team morale/faith in the head coach more than just a little bit. (Feel the same way about the Bears.) Throw in the ugly contract situation with Umenyiora and I don't think the Giants' locker room will be a happy place this year.
- Wash (5-11). Yes, Wash did sign a few guys who could contribute this year (Otogwe, Gaffney, Cofield), but I don't think the front office did enough. Their defense may be quietly decent (with London Fletcher, Landry, Otogwe, Orakpo, Cofield, Carriker, Hall) but their offense should be bad. They just didn't do enough in free agency or the draft to make this offense legit. Having Grossman as your starting QB is not a good idea. Picking up Tim Hightower is not a major upgrade – he's just OK. He's not enough of a threat to open things up for the passing game. And the WR group remains unremarkable. Gaffney was good year last year but I'd be a bit surprised if he continues at that pace in Wash. Just don't like the direction this team is heading in presently – and I have a feeling lots of Skins fans feel the same way.
2011 NFC East
One Response to "2011 NFC East"
56Coop Says:
September 8, 2011 at 3:28 pm |
After seeing your SB prediction I think (hope) you are givingv Philly a little too much credit. Dream teams only win in the Olympics. We'll see.


text:
Michigan's Film Incentive Program Has Been A Bust
Taxpayers have spent nearly $450 million with little to show for it
In 2011, Michigan changed its open-ended film incentive program to a capped $25 million annual subsidy. Since then, it's been increased to $50 million. While the executive budget this year calls for another $25 million for this program, it should be eliminated entirely.
All told, the state has devoted $444.7 million to film productions from both the tax credits and appropriations, according to the state treasury and budget offices.
Despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars, the program is not designed to establish a permanent film industry. Approved film productions spend money in the state and leave. The state sends them a check based on what they spent. The hope is that if you keep priming the pump enough, someone will stay of their own goodwill.
That is unlikely to occur because other states — and even the agglomeration of film producers in California — also are offering their own incentives. Producers threaten to leave states that think about pulling back on incentives.
This is borne out by the economic reports on the film industry in Michigan. While the industry is not large enough to get monthly reports from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, the survey lists 1,768 people employed by "motion picture and video production firms," in 2012. That is 0.05 percent of the total employment covered by the survey.
Total employment also is down from 2011 when 2,129 people were employed in this industry, though at no point from 2001 to 2012 were fewer than 1,300 or more than 2,200 people employed in this industry.
Supporters contend that film producers tend to use employee leasing agencies to hire workers. But that's the point — despite this substantial investment of taxpayer resources, there is no permanent film industry in Michigan. The state has so far approved $444.7 million in incentives with little to show for it.
See also:
Housing Expenses Among the Perks Michigan Residents Pay For Big Hollywood
Batman and Superman vs. Taxpayers
Record Profits For Warner Bros. Doesn't Stop State From Giving Company Huge Subsidy
Five Reasons Government Subsidies For Films Are A Bad Idea
Film Incentives: The $50 Million Sequel
Public Employee Pension Systems Raided To Pay Film Studio Bills
Big Hollywood Bailout: Taxpayers Spent Nearly $40 Million To Subsidize Disney's 'Oz'


text:
About 20 kilometres from the Vinales Valley, off the northwest coast of Cuba, lies a cluster of tiny islands enveloped by thick jungles of tropical mangrove and bordered by fabulous white beaches. The most idyllic amongst these is Cayo Levisa.
This small coral key off the north side of Pinar del Rio is part of the Archipielago de los Colorados, which sits in the Gulf of Mexico. It's known for its white coral beaches, thick mangroves, abundant seabirds, and seas rich in red snapper, sea bass, lobster, marlin, and other species.
From the early 1940s, American author Ernest Hemingway had a fishing camp on Cayo Paraiso, a smaller coral island 10km east. Recently an exclusive tourist resort has been built on Cayo Levisa.
There are 23 diving points on the island shelf, which has numerous coral formations, an ideal location for snorkelling.


text:
Greece Travel Guide
Greek Islands
Greek Food
As you probably already
know, barbecue in North Carolina means only one
thing: pork; generally chopped pork, though there
are some who like it pulled. (Sliced?Eh
; not so much.) As you may also be aware, there's
a distinction between eastern North Carolina
barbecue and western North Carolina barbecue.
For some background on the history of barbecue in
North Carolina - like, if you're writing your
master's thesis on it or something (actually, it
is kind of interesting) - go to
for "North
Carolina Barbecue: A Primer," by Terry Mancour.
For a bit more history, and an explanation of the
above-mentioned distinction in eastern and western
NC barbecue, I'd like to quote Bob Garner, from
his Guide To
North Carolina
because, my sources tell me, he's the man from
whom to quote on any and all things 'cue:
"From the very beginning," Garner writes,
"barbecue in North Carolina meant pork. During the
1500s, the Spanish introduced pigs to the
southeastern part of America. Whereas cattle
tended to fare poorly in the region, swine
flourished, nowhere more so than in North
Garner goes on to
explain that the pork would most commonly be
cooked over an open fire and would be seasoned
with "an ordinary table condiment of the time,
which consisted of vinegar, salt, red and black
pepper, and oyster juice… Salty vinegar liberally
laced with pepper (but minus the oyster juice) is
still basically the same sauce used on eastern
North Carolina barbecue today …"
The big difference between eastern barbecue and
western - or Lexington-style, as it's sometimes
called - barbecue is that ketchup is commonly
added to the sauce of western barbecue. The other
difference is that in the east they use the whole
hog, both white and dark meat, while in the west
they cook only the pork shoulder, which is dark
meat and thus more fatty, moister and richer.
All that said, though, the truth, says me, is that
- contrary to the mythical status of this
east-west "rivalry" - most casual barbecue eaters
probably wouldn't even notice the difference
between eastern and western North Carolina
barbecue if you put one of each before them (and,
despite what you may have heard about how we
"shorely do take our barbecue serious 'round
these-here parts," few among us are
barbecue eaters).
There. I've said it. There really isn't a
substantial difference between eastern and western
North Carolina barbecue. Now I've said it again,
and I'm not taking it back. What there is a
substantial difference between is good barbecue
and bad barbecue, and (myth-bash-two alert)
despite what you may've heard, the big difference
in quality is not in whether it was cooked in a
pit over hickory coals or with gas. Lots of very
fine barbecue establishments are now cooking their
'cue with gas, and some (though not many) crappy
joints are still using pits. The real difference
between really good barbecue and not-so-good
barbecue is how it tastes when you put it in your
mouth (though, for many of us, texture plays a
part as well). And you know who gets to decide
do. Well, not entirely -
because I'm about to tell you about several very
good places to get barbecue, and a few not quite
so, from all the regions that really matter in the
world of North Carolina barbecue, from the
mountains to the coast. Then you go try them. Then
you come tell
The judging of these establishments was restricted
to, first and far foremost, the
- specifically, barbecue
sandwiches, with some consideration being given to
the quality of the supporting role played by bun
and coleslaw (who cares about the coleslaw anyways
except in the context of the role it plays in
accentuating or detracting from the meat -
although, if I may, I'd like to say that I make a
killer coleslaw, for which I'm rousingly
celebrated on several continents, but comparing my
sublime blending of a host of secret ingredients
and a bunch of jalapenos to the coleslaw you get
at a barbecue joint - which, by the way, is not a
pejorative term: "joint" - really, well, it just
sort of ticks me off, if you must know). Second,
and strictly secondarily, we judged the hush
By the way, you may be wondering why you sometimes
see barbecue spelled "barbeque," "BBQ" and some
other cutesy ways. Stop it. It's a waste of time.
Wonder about something else.
First off, you should know that barbecue doesn't
play nearly so important a role in the culinary
landscape of the mountains as it does in the
Piedmont and in eastern Carolina. Second thing;
both of these places I'm fixin to tell you about
hold some significance from my own formative years
- Barbecue Inn is about a block from the home in
which I spent the first seven years of my life and
Little Pigs is across the street from the high
school at which I made cameo appearances, and from
which I somehow managed to graduate - so that's
why they're in this piece, that and because to the
extent that people in [Asheville] do debate
barbecue, it's which is better: "Pigs" or "The
Inn" (sobriquets I just now made up, so as to
heighten the drama).
In the head-to-head showdown of these two
Asheville institutions, conducted by a small but
impartial panel of experts (i.e., they were
hungry), Little Pigs won the meat test
unanimously, both for its good flavor and its
rugged, uneven, chunkyish chop. No real
discernible preference in the coleslaw. Barbecue
Inn is given the edge in sauce, and kudos for
putting it on the side rather than on the
sandwich, which Little Pigs does. The Barbecue Inn
sandwich is bigger than that of the Pigs, but
Little Pigs does offer a jumbo for just a quarter
or so more. The regular sandwich with half a dozen
pups comes in at $3.96, while the Barbecue Inn
sandwich and an equal number of pups is $5.25.
Barbecue Inn wins in the hushpuppy category. They
have a savory cornmeal taste and texture, crispy
on the outside and moist on the in, while the
Little Pigs pups are just bland, with a taste of
pepper, and floury, nothing to 'em.
Bottom line, though, it's about the pork, and
Little Pigs gets it done better - which I've been
saying for years now, though I must admit that so
many of my visits to Little Pigs were occasioned
by and immediately subsequent to stoner sessions
in the woods behind my high school
occasions of famish, you might say, upon which
sautéed styrofoam could easily have passed for my
grandmother's pot roast, and may have, in fact,
now that I think about it.
So there.
Beckoning motorists into its gravel parking lot
right off Hwy. 29-70 (you can't miss it) since
1962, Lexington Barbecue has earned its reputation
as the best-known of a slew of barbecue joints
here in barbecue heaven.
"We use pork shoulders only," the Lexington
Barbecue menu reminds us. "They are cooked about
nine hours over hickory and oak coals. We salt the
meat before cooking but we do not baste. This is
the true Lexington Style Barbecue."
Friends, a piece of sage advice: ask for the
brown. The brown,
; that's the stuff. As you'll recall from your
brief tutorial above, the shoulder is fattier and
moister than a mixture of white and dark
(remember?). Well, here's a little special
somethin' else you should know, and I'm going to
again quote, at some length, because it's
important, Mr. Garner on this. Listen:
"Lexington-style barbecue is also distinguished in
that an especially prized portion of the meat
known as 'outside brown' can usually be requested.
A pork shoulder trimmed and ready for barbecuing
is partially covered by skin and fat, but a
significant portion of the surface is exposed red
meat. Once a shoulder has been pit-cooked over
wood coals … this exposed surface meat turns a
deep reddish brown hue, becomes chewy in texture,
and is heavily infused with the flavor of wood
smoke." In short, it tastes like it smells when
it's cooking. And that's a very fine thing.
The regular sandwich is good, plenty good -
, order the brown, and do it with a wink; on
account of you're now among the cognoscente. The
texture is good; the slaw is just sort of there,
not too sweet. The hush puppies are only average.
A sandwich goes for $2.90; pups for $1.60. You
find me a better bargain.
Across from the Greensboro Civic Center is one of
the more storied barbecue joints in the state,
Stamey's Old Fashioned Barbecue. It ain't bad. The
meat is a little too finely chopped, but it does
have a nice smoky, slightly tangy flavor. The
coleslaw is vinegary, nothing special, but does
work well with the sandwich, and, as noted, that's
how it should be judged.
Stamey's hush puppies have a nice texture, kind
of salty, certainly above average. And you get a
good "healthy" portion of pups, more than you
should eat in a single sitting but not necessarily
more than you will - and why the heck not give a
large portion of hush puppies. I mean, they're
just fried cornmeal, cheap to make, for gosh
sakes. …
The sandwich at Stamey's runs only $2.25, pups 89
cents, and that's cheap eatin'.
Allen &
I've been mentioning prices here, and while price
is not such a big factor in the barbecue world
(it's all pretty cheap), I will say that Allen
& Son does come in on the relatively expensive
side. Two barbecue sandwiches and hushpuppies
comes to $10.22, which is due, one might suppose,
to the fact that it's in Chapel Hill.
But forget about that. I'd put this sandwich up
against just about any other in the state. And
besides, it's a big sandwich, bigger than most. It
has a good hickory flavor; is chunky, moist, just
plain good.
Okay, this eastern panel showdown was a bit more
scientific than the one conducted in Asheville, in
that while these folks also were hungry, they
weren't quite so (it was an early lunch treat),
and thus not quite so eager to pounce on the food
wagon like a bunch of starving wolverines. Plus,
it was a larger panel (not to say individually,
but as a group) and reflected some nicely diverse
The establishments judged here were several among
the most vaunted barbecue joints in eastern North
Carolina, including perhaps the two most
Barbecue of
Goldsboro and
of Wilson; along
Mitchell's Barbecue,
Ribs &
Chicken, also
of Wilson; and, yes,
, a chain:
Smithfield Chicken
I should point out that the entries were served
anonymously, as they were in Asheville, so as to
prevent members of the panel from factoring in
their own personal past preferences and
prejudices, which they would, right?
The surprise winner, as you'll now already know,
assuming you read the subhead above, was
Smithfield. Second place went to Wilber's,
followed by Mitchell's and Parker's. Phrases used
to describe Smithfield included, "best hickory
flavor" (though it's not pit cooked), "consistent
texture," "well seasoned" and "off the hook!"
I should say that I slipped Smithfield into the
contest because I've been regularly stopping in at
several of its locations while traveling in the
eastern part of the state, and have found it
generally quite good. I, myself, though, picked it
second, behind Wilber's.
Price wise, the three independents were all about
the same; Smithfield's was a bit more.
In closing, I might also add, and will, that
there are a number of interesting barbecue-themed
events in North Carolina, mostly in the spring and
summer, including the
Lexington Barbecue
(held one of the last
two Saturdays in October), the
Greater Hickory Smoke
Barbeque Festival
and, my personal
favorite, the
Hillsborough Hog
- Taylor Sisk
See Also: Hog Day, Chapel Hill Restaurants, Wine, Asheville, Hillsborough


text:
- Want more helpful information on how to stage your own home to sell? Order a copy of the award-winning staging eBook, This Sold House, by Diane Keyes from either Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
Recent Posts
Personal Apperances
- No events to show
Links and Other Resources
Tag Archives: Diane Keyes
"I Know, I Know…"
Curb appeal is even more essential if you're selling your home during the summer. In winter buyers rush to the door lest they freeze to death. But when it's warm outside they take their time. The extra time is a … Continue reading


text:
As Carolin and Desi Perez drove across Interstate 35 Tuesday morning, there was too much destruction to take in.
"It's just carnage," said Carolin Perez. "It looks like everything has been through a blender."
She and her husband were the first Rapid Response Team chaplains to arrive in Moore, Okla., following the massive tornado that crumbled some buildings and left no trace of others. Carolin and Desi, who live just 200 miles from Moore, were on the road just hours after the twister struck.
As they drove down the familiar highway, now with all exits sealed off, they could see nothing but twisted metal and debris on both sides of the interstate.
"You can see the damage, as far as the eye can see," said Carolin Perez. "There are huge buildings with half the building just gone. There was a shopping center where it looked like the tornado peeled up the concrete."
Soon, the two crisis-trained chaplains will take their eyes off the obliterated landscape and start looking into the devastated faces of those who lost children, siblings, friends, and homes. They, along with six other chaplains with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, have arrived in Oklahoma to help meet the spiritual and emotional needs of people who are experiencing heart-wrenching loss.
"Everybody's pretty much in shock right now," said Carolin Perez. "Often times there are no words that need to be said. It's just being there, being God's presence and being available."
Tuesday morning, Carolin and Desi crossed over Moore on the way to nearby Shawnee, Okla., which was hit hard by a separate round of twisters that ripped through the area Sunday. With Moore still shut down for rescue and recovery efforts, the chaplains will begin their ministry in Shawnee, setting up a staging area in a local church. They plan to commute to Moore as soon as they are permitted to enter the town.
Rapid Response chaplains are also currently deployed to Granbury, Texas, following a deadly tornado there.
"It's important to be available to people as they grieve and begin to deal with the shock of what happened," said Carolin Perez. "There's a very high level of anxiety, waiting for good news or bad news, and you don't know which one it's going to be."
The chaplains have already come across hurting people. They're asking for prayers for a woman they met in the elevator of a hotel who doesn't know whether her mother, who suffers from Alzheimer's, survived the tornado.
"It's the uncertainty of not knowing that's so difficult," said Carolin Perez. "She was very anxious and very distraught."
As the story of Shawnee, Moore, and the surrounding community unfolds, the chaplains will serve as a quiet but strong presence in the midst of grief and chaos. They'll follow the Lord's instruction to "weep with those who weep," carrying the love of Christ, and trusting the Lord to comfort the people who need His peace now more than ever.